Another day, another Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback discussion on ESPN’s Get Up involving Justin Fields and Russell Wilson.
Today, the discussion centered on the possibility of the Steelers using both Fields and Wilson under center, and former NFL wide receiver Andrew Hawkins thinks it’s a bad idea for a number of reasons, including that it could divide Pittsburgh’s locker room.
“As a wide receiver, that’s like showing up to the barbershop and giving me a different barber every single time. My game is tailored to who my quarterback is, and it would be so annoying throughout the game, have to be teetering the way that I’m going about my business based on who’s at the quarterback position,” Hawkins said. “There’s a bunch of other reasons, like it forces the quarterback to press, and if you put a situation on a quarterback where he has to press, he will not be as good. Another situation is players will choose sides. It will divide a locker room. They’ll feel like they’ll have one guy, and other guys will choose their favorite.”
.@hawk doesn’t believe having two QBs regularly playing for the Steelers will work.
“As a wide receiver, that is essentially like showing up at the barber shop and you giving me a different barber every single time. My game is tailored to who my quarterback is.” pic.twitter.com/MLAUQUpobJ
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 5, 2024
Hawkins doesn’t believe that a two-quarterback system works in the NFL and that the only reason a team should try is it if it doesn’t feel good about either quarterback.
“This would not work at the NFL level, and the only reason to consider it is because you have two quarterbacks you don’t feel great about,” he said.
The Steelers and Mike Tomlin have been very open about the fact that Wilson’s experience leading an offense and all that it entails on and off the field is the reason why he’s going to get the first crack to start. Even though he’s dealing with a calf injury and has been limited in practice, I don’t think the team’s mindset has changed regarding using Wilson as a starter.
While the Steelers likely won’t use a true two-QB system, which I would define as each guy getting a crack to run a series, the team reportedly will have a package of plays for Fields, who can use his speed and athleticism to run. It would work well around the goal line, which is where ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that teams expect the Steelers to use Fields. But as far as who their starting quarterback is going to be to open the season, it would be a surprise if it was anyone other than Wilson.
Given that Justin Fields has gotten the majority of the first-team reps and has a tantalizing athletic profile, with speed that Mike Tomlin said “surprised” him, it’s again re-ignited the idea that he could pass Wilson. But if the Steelers were truly worried about Wilson being their starting quarterback, they probably wouldn’t be as cautious with his recovery and give him more reps if there was doubt about what he could do.
It’s good that the Steelers are getting an extended look at Fields and how he looks with the first-team offense as they assess their options beyond 2024, but I don’t think they’re changing their mind about Wilson being their starter. We’ll see what happens over the next few weeks, but Wilson will likely be the guy taking the majority of the snaps come Week 1 in Atlanta.
